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6.1 Taking into account the full consultation process and the study of other countries, there are clear implications for the development of the Strategy.
6.2 Respondents want the Scottish Executive to take the lead in creating and delivering a National Cultural Strategy for Scotland. They want the Executive to take and maintain the overview of cultural life including its impacts on people. Some expressed consultation fatigue and asked for leadership and action.
6.3 Specifically, people want the Scottish Executive to be clear in the Strategy as to what culture is and the role it plays throughout Scottish and international life. This may mean establishing an entitlement to culture.
6.4 People want change in various aspects of structures. They want change in education. They want a stable core base. But above all they want to be involved in celebrating and sharing Scotland’s rich and diverse culture in all its aspects.
6.5 The overall opportunity is to create a cohesive framework for preserving, celebrating, developing, promoting, and involving people in, Scotland’s culture in all its dimensions. People believe that this should include the past, present and future. They believe that, only when people can understand and value their own culture, can they value and respect the cultures of other.
6.6 There is clear demand for clarity and a framework which includes:
6.7 There are some key questions which emerge from the consultation process:
6.8 What should culture include? If the broad definition is to be adopted, should there also be a list of activities that this particularly includes?
6.9 How strong should be the commitment to creating an access to culture for the citizens of Scotland? How would opportunities for access be assured?
6.10 How important is culture to our core education in Scottish schools? What should it include? If it is important, should it be central to education or a core part of the curriculum? Should it be delivered in whole or in part from outside the school?
6.11 What are the best structures for delivering the new Strategy? What should the balance be between the central and local? How much of the decision making should be at arm's length from the government and how much should the government itself be involved? If there are to be arm’s length bodies, what should they be? What aspects of culture should they cover? Should there be one or several? Should the existing agencies simply work more in partnership with each other and others? Should they decentralise? What should be the links between them and UK bodies? What structures should be put in place to deliver international promotion of Scotland’s culture? What about the Gaelic agencies?
6.12 What should the role of local authorities be in providing culture? What should the statutory duties include? Should local authorities be obliged to fund provision which serves them even where it is not local, as in the case of regional museums and venues?
6.13 Do current funding patterns meet the overall priorities of the people and government? Are projects being funded at the expense of core services like museums, libraries and venues? Is this best value and is it sustainable? Is there too much emphasis on historically funded provision as opposed to community and grass roots work? Can funding be simplified? Would tax incentives or levies be appropriate?
6.14 Should Scots be accorded the same status as Gaelic? Should we be bilingual or even trilingual? What about other dialects? Should support for Gaelic be increased?
6.15 How should the identity of Scotland and Scottish culture be refreshed to present a more vibrant and diverse image? Should there be a new body like the one in Catalonia, or some sort of Scottish Institute to promote our culture overseas? Should the existing agencies do it in partnership? What about the web-site?
6.16 Should the Scottish Executive take an overview of market intelligence in the cultural sector? Should it establish a framework for measuring the social and economic impacts of cultural activities and provision?
6.17 How should the perceived gaps in training be addressed, in particular, entrepreneurial and business skills for those involved in or embarking upon careers in the cultural and creative industries and film training?
6.18 How should the media contribute towards cultural life in Scotland? Should there be an obligation to increase or improve transmission of Scottish culture both at home and abroad?
6.19 How should the Strategy ensure that culture plays a full role in inclusion? How should it ensure that people are included in cultural activity?
6.20 How should the Strategy meet the needs of children and young people? Should there be a special measure, as in Sweden? What status should youth culture have?
6.21 What do we mean by ‘national’ companies - do we mean the four performing companies who are currently funded? Should there be more? Should there be new national companies like a national theatre? Should ‘national’ determine an obligation to distribute work throughout Scotland?
6.22 Where should investment be targeted in order to improve the performance and competitiveness of aspects of the creative industries including film and design? What should be the role of government in intervention into commercial areas?
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